Best Friends With The Troublemaker
by RadioActiveFlower
Summary: Tatsuki Matsumoto is twelve years old and has just moved to the Hidden Leaf Village after traveling for the past seven years with her friends, Ryuzaki, Natsu and Renji, her older sister Rangiku and her sister's boyfriend Zoro. What will happen when her friend Gaara turns up for the chunin exams, will it be a fight to the death or, forgive and forget?
1. Chapter 1

"Guys I would like you all to meet our new student, Tatsuki Matsumoto." Announced the teacher, motioning for the black hair and sapphire eyed girl to come in. "Class this is Tatsuki Matsumoto, where would you like to sit Tatsuki?" He asked, smiling at her warmly.  
She gave him a blank look and shrugged, there were so many other places that she wanted to be right now, training with her friends - Natsu, Ryuzaki and Renji - or even going shopping with her older Sister Rangiku and her boyfriend Zoro, anything, so long as it had nothing to do with school.  
"Why don't you go and sit next Sasuke Uchiha?" Said the teacher after a few seconds, gesturing towards a raven haired boy, the boy in question looked up and his gaze met with Tatsuki's, his onyx eyes bore into her as if they could see into her very soul, she glared at him, Tatsuki didn't like the look he had gave her.  
She stomped up to her chair and plopped down next to him, death-glaring the desk in front of her. Why do I have to sit next to the Uchiha? She thought irritably, returning the glares that she was getting from all the girls in the class except from the little Hyuga girl.  
After school had finished for the day she went and sat in a tree near the academy for a while.  
"No you're not! You think that because your Father is the great Hiashi Hyuga's daughter that you'll get special treatment from everyone, but you're wrong! We won't give you special treatment and neither will anyone else outside of the Hyuga clan!" Yelled a voice. I wonder what's going on?  
She got to the scene quickly, but someone else was faster.  
"Hey! Just leave her alone!" Shouted the yellow haired boy Tatsuki had noticed earlier.  
"And why should we listen to you! My Mom said that I shouldn't talk to you because you're a bad influence!" Shouted one of the boys who were crowding around the little Hyuga girl from her class. She looks terrified. Tatsuki conclueded mentally, watching as the yellow haired kid get beaten up by the other boys as the girl sat there uselessly. Ah what were their name's? The girl was Hyuga... Hinata! Yes that was it! Hinata Hyuga and the boy name was... Naruto... Naruto Uzumake? No, Naruto Uzumaki! That's it!  
By the time she'd remembered, the bullies were gone and an older Hyuga was leading Hinata away from Naruto, who was laying on the floor with a bloody lip and nose bleed, she jumped out of the tree and landed next too him. "You ok?" Tatsuki asked, sitting down beside him.  
He gaped at her for a second before smiling at her brightly. "Yeah I'm fine, but won't you get in trouble if your parents find out that you talked to me?" He questioned, his smile dropping slightly.  
"I don't have any parents and my Sister won't mind that I'm with you, she always says that she feels sorry for you because everone's so mean to you." She explained, grinning at him, taking a tissue out of her pocket and handing it to him.  
"I'm originally from the Land of Lightning and I travel a lot with my Sister, her boyfriend Zoro and my friends, Natsu, Ryuzaki and Renji. The last village we were in was the Sand Village, I was really good friends with the Kazekage's son, we had such a fun time together." She sighed, remembering her friend... Her friend that needed her but she left behind anyway...  
Tatsuki shook her head to get rid of the thought. "So what d'you like to do after school?" She asked, changing the subject.  
"Well most of the time I just go home or go to Ichi Raku's, man he does the best ramen in all of the Hidden Leaf! I know! I could take you there! Believe it!" He exclaimed, jumping to his feet, the biggest smile she'd ever seen plastered on his face.  
Tatsuki sighed inwardly. "Fine, but this better be good 'cause I'm missing my training time to do this." She muttered, rolling her eyes at the yellow haired boy. I have a feeling that I'm gonna make friends with this kid whether I want to or not. She thought. Oh well, it can't hurt to have more than three friends.  
"Alright! Let's go!" With that Naruto grabbed her hand and pulled Tatsuki off to Ichi Raku's.

~Four years later~

"Hey Boss! Hey Tatsuki! Could you play Ninja with us!" Yelled Konohamaru.  
"Hey guys." She smiled tiredly, Tatsuki had been training almost all night for the Chunin Exam the day before and now she was exhausted.  
"Hey Tatsuki!" Konohamaru said loudly, beaming brightly at her. He's so much like Naruto. Tatsuki thought with a smile.  
"Ugh, you two are so pathetic, ninja playing Ninja, come on!" Growled Sakura, plodding over to them.  
"Oh uh, hey Sakura!" Naruto said. Good grief, he's so stupid when she's around. Tatsuki thought to herself grimly, sweat-dropping.  
Tatsuki's gaze shifted from one shinobi to the other, from Naruto who was blushing lightly and rubbing the back of his head, to Sakura who was glaring daggers back at him.  
"Oh I know what's going on here." Said Konohamaru randomly. "She's... Your girlfriend." He smirked, addressing Naruto.  
The yellow haired boys blush deepened. "Uh well, I guess you can just see how much she digs me-" Naruto was cut off as Sakura punched him in the face, sending him flying.  
Tatsuki rolled her bright blue eyes at them. Oh here we go. "That was slightly uncalled for Sakura."  
"Yeah! What sort of girlfriend are you! You're a witch! And you're ugly too!" Yelled Konohamaru, then looking slightly scared he began backing away as Sakura stormed over to him.  
Tatsuki sighed and lent against the fence. I wish I was with my squad right now.  
After Sakura had finished beating both Naruto and Konohamaru to a bloody pulp she stormed off, her long pink hair swishing angrily behind her.  
"Wow! I don't think she's even human! And she has such a big forehead!" Commented Konohamaru, paling when Sakura froze and turned slowly back around to face them.  
"Run!" Shouted one of Konohamaru's friends, together they scrambled to their feet and ran. I guess I should probably go with them. Thought Tatsuki, jogging after them.  
She caught up with them just as Konohamaru ran into someone from a different village.  
"Ah! Hey! Put me down you big jerk!" Shouted Konohamaru suddenly, as a guy with weird purple face paint picked him up by the scarf.  
"Hey put him down!" Yelled Naruto, running closer but not to close.  
"Oh Kankuro, just leave the kid alone." Sighed a girl who was standing beside him, she had four pony tails in her sandy blond hair.  
"Why should I, He isn't here yet, so I'm just gonna mess with them until then." Grinned Kankuro.  
Tatsuki had had enough, she walked over and stood next to her yellow haired friend. "Just put Konohamaru down, and I won't have to kill you." She growled calmly, she stared at the teen who had a hold of Konohamaru, giving the weird looking guy the coldest glare she could muster.  
He flinched slightly but recovered quickly. "Why should I listen to a squirt like you? My brother is Gaara of the Sand, I'm pretty sure I can handle you." He sneered, his strange face paintings making his sneer look even bigger than it really was.  
Tatsuki felt a shiver go down her spine when he told her about his brother. I no who he's talking about, but he can't be, he can't be Gaara's brother.  
"Don't call him that." She whispered dangerously, feeling a wave of protectiveness wash over her for who she was guessing must be Gaara. "Don't you ever speak about Gaara like that."  
His eyes widened. "How do you know our brother?" Asked an older blond girl that Tatsuki had noticed earlier.  
"I met him along time ago and we were good friends, I've never forgotten him." She hissed softly, taking a step towards Kankuro.  
"Oh I remember you, you were that kid that was always with Gaara, Tatsuki right?" Said the girl again. "I'm Temari by the way."  
"Temari! Stop talking to the enemy!" Snapped the guy who was still holding Konohamaru in the air.  
"Put him down!" Growled Naruto defensively, glaring at Kankuro venomously.  
He attempted to run toward Kankuro as he said this but he was stopped by Sakura. "You idiot Naruto, you can't just go racing into a fight like that!" Sakura hissed.  
"You know it's punks like you that really piss me off, you're all talk with no fight to back you up." Growled Kankuro, drawing back his arm to punch Konohamaru. I've got to do something! Or Konohamaru's gonna get pounded to a pulp and I don't think the Hokage will happy with me when he finds out that I could of prevented that! Tatsuki thought, panicking slighty, but only on the inside, on the outside she was as calm as ever.  
She was just about to spring forwards and snatch Konohamaru from Kankuro, but then a stone came hurtling towards them, hitting Kankuro in the hand, he let out a yelp of pain and let Konohamaru go.  
Tatsuki sighed. You always have to be the hero don't you Sasuke.  
She looked up and sure enough there he was, sitting up in the tree, smirking like the Cheshire Cat and throwing a pebble into the air and then catching it, only to repeat the action.  
Now things are slightly more interesting. "Hey! Why can't you be cool like that Boss!" Whined Konohamaru, looking at Naruto with a wobbly lip.  
"I am Konohamaru!" Assured Naruto.  
Tatsuki looked back up at Sasuke when he started to speak. "I think you should leave." He said cockily.  
Kankuro was about to retort but his reply was cut short by an ice cold voice. "That's enough Kankuro." Said the red haired boy that was standing, upside down, in the tree next to Sasuke.  
"You're an embarrassment to our village, or have you forgotten the reason we came here." He said emotionlessly.  
Tatsuki gaped at him. That's him. It's Gaara of the Sand. A grin spread across her face.  
"Oh uh Gaara! It uh, it's not what it looks like, we were just walking along when these guys ambushed us so we were just teaching them a lesson, you see-" "Shut up. Or I will kill you." Kankuro's fumble of an excuse was cut short as Gaara silenced him.  
The red haired shinobi then disappeared in a small whirl wind of sand, reappearing next to his brother. "Let's go." He said mono-tonedly, walking away from us. Ugh I can't believe he's just gonna walk away! Can't he remember me or something? Tatsuki thought furiously.  
Sasuke jumped out of the tree he'd been perched in, landing beside Tatsuki and said. "State your identity."  
Temari stopped and turned around. "What? Do you mean me?" She asked, pointing at herself, a small blush dusting her cheeks.  
'No, I mean the one with the gourd on his back.' Sasuke replied.  
Gaara stopped and turned his head to look at Sasuke. "My name is Gaara of the Desert." He stated. "And I'm quite curious about you, what's your name?"  
"I'm Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke replied.  
"Oh yeah, and I bet you're dying to know my name." Said Naruto happily.  
"Actually I couldn't care less." Gaara answered blankly, glancing around at the rest of our little group, his gaze landed on Tatsuki and emotions flickered across his face for almost such a short amount of time that she barely managed to see what they were, they were, anger, confusion, betrayal, sadness and something else that she couldn't quite decide.  
Him and his siblings were gone before she could say anything, so she stared at the floor, feeling the long buried guilt make it's was back up to the top and felt it lodge itself in the pit of her stomach. I'm sorry Gaara. She thought miserably.  
"I'd better be heading home." Tatsuki hardly noticed herself saying the words that were coming out of her own mouth until she'd already said them.  
"Oh ok, see you tomorrow Tatsuki! Believe it!" Exclaimed Naruto, who had only just got over his little tantrum about the fact that nobody had asked him his name.  
She muttered a goodbye and then before she knew what she was doing, she was heading off in the direction that the Sand Siblings had gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Tatsuki arrived at the apartment that they were renting in no time. I should thank Zoro some time for him teaching me how to track. She thought faintly.  
Tatsuki jumped up to the window which was closest to the room that had Gaara's chakra pressure in, she climbed through the window and walked out of the room she'd just entered quietly. I'm not sure that this is a good idea.  
She snuck into the room that she had felt Gaara's chakra in, while shielding her own chakra.  
Tatsuki looked around the room, but there was no one there. That's strange, I can still feel Gaara's chakra pressure. She thought confusedly.  
Suddenly she got a very definite feeling that Gaara was standing right behind her.  
Tatsuki turned around and found herself nose to nose with the red haired boy. "Um hi."  
"What are you doing here?" He asked, his mint green eyes not quite as cold as they had been.  
"I um, I wanted to apologise." Tatsuki stammered. What's wrong with me? I'm not normally this awkward around people. She thought faintly, noticing suddenly how close that they actually were and taking a step back. But then, you haven't left any other people behind the way you left a little cruel voice in the back of her mind.  
"For what?" He questioned, raising a non-existent eyebrow, but otherwise seeming as unemotional as always.  
"For everything, for leaving you. And I know you remember it as well as I do, so don't try and deny it!" Tatsuki ended up almost screaming the last part unintentionally.  
"I wasn't going to." He replied, sounding infuriatingly bored.  
"Good, I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't of left without saying goodbye. Forgive me?" She stared him right in the eyes, her sapphire to his wintery white-green eyes.  
"No." His answer was simple and deep down Tatsuki had been terrified that this would be his answer, she felt her heart drop down to her toes.  
"But if I told you why I had to leave, then would you forgive me?" She said, she was aware of how pleading and pathetic she sounded but Tatsuki had no idea what else to do.  
"Fine. But not here." With that he walked over to the window, opened it and then gesturing for her to follow, jumped out of it.  
She followed without hesitation. I hope he forgives me. She thought, her heart feeling heavier than it ever had before.  
Gaara didn't waste a second, as soon as Tatsuki's feet had touched the ground he was off and she ran to keep up with him.  
They walked in silence for a while until they reached the edge of the forest, not to far from Tatsuki's house.  
"Explain." Gaara demanded flatly, turning to face her.  
What should I say? I've been picturing this moment for years but I have no idea what to say! Tatsuki thought frantically, trying to think of the answer that was most likely to get him to forgive her, but in the end she decided on telling the truth.  
"You might want to sit down, it's kind of a long story." She sighed, jumping up to sit on a wide branch of a tree and patted the spot next to her.  
Gaara jumped up next to her and sat down, then turned to expectantly.  
"Ok here goes. About four years ago I was traveling with my Sister Rangiku, her boyfriend Zoro and my friends - Natsu, Renji and Ryuzaki. We'd just been in the Hidden Rain Village where we'd met Zoro, anyway. We'd been walking for around three days before we came to the desert, Zoro told us that we were now in the Land of Wind and that to reach the Sand Village we had to go through it, luckily he used to travel loads so he knew where we were.  
About three or maybe four days later we arrived in the Sand Village we rented out a house and then I went out to explore."

~Flashback~

"Hey Tatsuki where are you going?" Called a seventeen year old Rangiku, resting a hand on her hip.  
"I'm going to look around." Replied the eleven year younger Tatsuki, walking off with her arms crossed stubbornly across her chest.  
Tatsuki continued walking, her head snapping in every direction, trying to see everything at once, not that there was anything to see; the houses all look roughly the same, all being sand coloured.  
She wandered around the village until she came to a group of kids that were playing with a ball by one of the biggest buildings in the place.  
"Hey, can I play?" She asked, walking over to them.  
"Sure you can, we needed another player anyway." Replied one of them, smiling at Tatsuki brightly.  
They played for a few minutes until one of them kicked the ball up onto one of the higher roofs and a young boy with blood red hair and pale green eyes appeared. "Can I play with you guys?" He asked shyly, walking up to them.  
Tatsuki started to feel confused when the other kids began backing away from him. "No! Stay away from us!" They yelled, sounding scared.  
The boy looked sad and hurt by their words, but he got the ball down from the building anyway and started to walk back the way he came. I used to be like that. Tatsuki thought sympathetically.  
"Hey wait up! I'll play with you!" She shouted, running after him, ignoring the yells and cries of warning from the children.  
The boy stopped and turned to face her, his light green eyes shining with unshed tears. "What do you want?"  
"I've come to play with you, you do want to play right?" Tatsuki asked, now feeling slightly unsure of what she was supposed to say.  
His eyes widened when he realised that she had meant what she said. "Sure! Let's play!" He smiled, Tatsuki laughed and took his hand.  
"There're some people I want you to meet." She giggled, dragging him off to introduce him to her family and three friends.  
Four months later, Gaara and Tatsuki were up sitting on the roof of the Kazekage's office when they were attacked from behind.  
Tatsuki screamed as the kunai flew towards them, suddenly Gaara's sand was surrounding them in a protective shield, keeping the kunai from touching them, Gaara then sent the sand to attack the ANBUand managed to catch him in his Sand Coffin, but he didn't kill him.  
Tatsuki and Gaara ran over to face the ninja that had thrown the kunai and were shocked to find that it was Gaara's uncle, Yashamaru.  
"Why? Why did you try to kill me and Tatsuki?" Asked Gaara, tears now streaming down his face.


End file.
